Multi-Day River Trips: The Ideal Family Vacation

Every day on a multi-day river trip is a sequence of potential moment-in-a-lifetime memories.

Every family has them: “That one time” when dad said … that time your brother fell and … that day mom found …

Fill in the blanks with your family’s unique history that will come up at all the get-togethers down the line and get passed on to the next generation.

Multi-day river trips have so many opportunities for that sort of bonding, and it really is so easy to do, it’s hard to think of a better way to spend a vacation.

I’m biased, of course, but consider all these reasons a family rafting trip is just plain perfect:

No connectivity.

Sometimes you have to disconnect to reconnect. On a river trip cell phone’s don’t work. Checking email or playing video games is not an option. All of a sudden you find yourself talking, laughing and enjoying the simple pleasures of uninterrupted time together.

Worry-free camping.

We know the ideal spots. We bring the gear, and we know it all works. You just have to show up.

Guides do the cooking.

And we’re not talking beans and weenies, here. This is gourmet stuff. You just have to eat, and wash off your plate.

Dutch oven desserts.

If you’ve never had this guilty pleasure, well, you’ll just have to. Let’s just say you’ll be amazed at what’s possible.

Sunrise and sunset over canyon walls.

Cameras struggle to capture these rose, crimson, amber and gold hues. You need to see them yourself, and then see that loved one basking in the view, too.

Star-filled skies.

We forget what light pollution is doing to our night-time view until we get a few hundred miles off into the wild. When’s the last time your kids saw the purple wisps of the Milky Way?

Beach games, nature walks, fishing and catching salamanders.

You get plenty of free time at camp, and we have yet to hear anyone say, “I’m bored.” It’s way more than raft-eat-sleep if you do a multi-day river trip right.

Campfire stories.

You’ll have plenty to tell, and we can guarantee our guides spin an interesting yarn or three. We’ll bring the marshmallows, too.

Falling asleep beside rushing waters.

There’s white noise, and then there’s whitewater noise. These nights on the banks of the river will be filled with the kind of slumber you’ve been craving — the whole family has.

But what about you? What makes the perfect vacation for your family? Give us some ideas in the comments below.

By Steve Markle

Steve is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the O.A.R.S. Family of Companies and a Leave No Trace Master Educator.